From A Servant To A Princess
by CetaBabe
Summary: The Cardcaptor Sakura Twist on Cinderella. Sakura was a servant girl to her stepmother and stepsisters, but when an invitation for a royal ball comes to the house, everything changes... One-Shot, SxS TxE


Normal talking"

"SHOUTING" (not used in long peices of speech, it makes it look overpowering)

_Thoughts_

**Emphasis**

_'In a letter'_

(Writer's comments)

Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura or Cinderella

­From A Servant To A Princess

The Cardcaptor Sakura Twist on Cinderella. Sakura was a servant girl to her stepmother and stepsisters, but when an invitation for a royal ball comes to the house, everything changes...

* * *

A 3 year old girl with short auburn hair, chased a butterfly round the garden, excitement in her emerald eyes. Her parents watched her longingly, not wanting to tell her of the illness that had taken hold of the girl's mother, Nadeshiko. The time for her to find out came all too quickly. When the illness forced Nadeshiko to retire to her bed, they had no choice but to tell their daughter.

"Mummy, why?" The little girl sobbed, "Stay with me, me and daddy will care for you."

"I'm sorry Sakura," Nadeshiko placed her hand on the little girl's head, "Remember I told you that everything has it's time," The girl nodded, "Well, my time on earth has come to an end." She wiped the tears away from her daughter's eyes. "You're daddy, Fujitaka, will take very good care of you. Just remember, I'm always with you, so don't cry. You look better with a smile." Nadeshiko smiled and took her last breath. Fujitaka led his daughter out of the room as the doctors took Nadeshiko away.

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A few years later, Sakura stood beside two girls as she watched her father wed the mother of the girls next to her. He was insistant that it was for her own good, that she needed a mother figure around. Sakura was now 6 and couldn't understand why her father was going to marry another when he still loved her mother.

The girls next to her smiled politely, not really caring for the whole affair. Sakura sighed and put on a fake smile as the ceromony proceeded.

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Years passed, Sakura's hair grew to waist length and the new family members seemed nice. The mother, Haruka, treated Sakura with the same respect as her two daughters, Fumiko and Manami, treating her with kindness and loving. But this facade was soon torn away.

Fujitaka met an untimely end when he came down with a disease similar to that of Nadeshiko, but much faster in the way it acts. Because of this, Sakura lost the only remaining biological family member she had, her brother had died before she was born and she never met her grandparents.

After this, Haruka's true nature was revealed; cold and cruel. She forced Sakura to become a slave in her own house; taking away everything Sakura owned, leaving her with a few simple dresses and a space in the attic. But, no-one could take away memories or dreams. Sakura found herself looking at a picture of her parents everyday and talking to the sky whenever she had the chance, after all, they were still watching her, even if she was now 17.

She had one friend in her life, Tomoyo, a dark violet haired girl with caring amethyst eyes, but she rarely saw her. The only time they met was when they were both out grocery shopping and bumped into each other. Sakura hadn't been able to see her in ages, her step-family had seen her talking to Tomoyo; so they refused to let her go out and shop alone.

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It's on a seemingly normal day like this when our story begins:

"SAKURA!" Haruka called down to the basement. "WHERE'S THE BREAKFAST?"

"Coming stepmother" Sakura replied, putting the tea and food on trays and heading up the stairs.

She entered each room and handed the girls their breakfast. One tray to her stepmother, a tall, long black-haired lady with peircing grey eyes. One to her stepsister, Fumiko, a slightly short, slightly chubby girl, only a year older than Sakura, with curly brown hair and dark brown eyes. And one to her other stepsister, Manami, a slim, tall girl, the same age as Fumiko, with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

After leaving each room, her list of chores became longer. She headed downstairs and started on them; washing dishes, mending clothes, feeding the _spoilt, fat_ cat as Sakura put it, cleaning the ornaments etc.

She was crouched down on the floor, cleaning the floor. Upstairs, her stepsisters were having singing lessons, _Much needed singing lessons,_ Sakura thought, with their mother's supervision. A knock at the door snapped her from her thoughts.

"Coming." She called. She put down her brush and went to the door.

When she opened it, a tall male with dark blue hair, and dark violet eyes stood there.

"Can I help you?" Sakura asked politely.

"My name is Eriol Hiragizawa, I am an advisor from the palace. I have been sent to give invitations to all the household in the kingdom." He handed Sakura an envelope sealed with the royal stamp. "Good day madam." He bowed and walked away.

"Thank you," Sakura called back to him. She shut the door and headed inside. _I know they told me to leave them be, but..._ She looked at the envelope, _Who knows what trouble I would be in if I waited, or indeed if I opened it._ She walked up the stairs and knocked on the door to where the girls were having their lessons.

"WHAT!?" Haruka shouted from the other side. Sakura entered the room, "I thought I said to leave us in peace!"

"But, this just came from the palace." Sakura replied.

"THE PALACE!" Fumiko and Manami rushed over and started fighting over the letter.

"Girls, now now." Haruka took the envelope and opened it. "I'll read it."

_'The King and Queen are holding a royal ball at the palace in celebration of Prince Syaorans 18th Birthday._

_Their Royal Highnesses hope that the Prince shall select a bride in tonight's festivities._

_All eligible females are too attend.'_

"Excellent, girls!" Haruka addressed her daughters, "Find your best gowns, tonight might be your lucky night. Make yourselves look amazing, to grab the Prince's attention."

"Excuse me" Sakura said quietly.

"Are you still here?" Fumiko said, "Go and get my jewelery box"

"Ignore her," Manami interupted, "Get my hair ribbons"

"Quiet girls,"Haruka ordered, "She obviously had something to say. What is it?"

"Well," Sakura began, "It said all eligible girls are to go, does that mean I can go?" Sakura's stepsisters roared with laughter at her question.

"I suppose there is no reason why you can't go" Haruka said, making the girls stop laughing, "**If** you get your chores done, and **if **you have time after that to find an outfit." The girls smirked when they heard their mother say 'If'

"Thank you stepmother, I'm sure I'll be able to" Sakura said, and rushed out of the room to continue her chores.

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The day went by and the carriage for Sakura's step-family arrived. She went to the dressing room and informed them that their transport had arrived.

"You're not going?" Fumiko questioned when she saw that Sakura was still in her simple dress.

"No" Sakura shook her head, "I didn't have time to find an outfit."

"Oh" Manami said, "That's too bad"

"We'll be back around midnight" Haruka informed Sakura, "So have cups of tea ready for us."

Sakura left them to finalise themselves and watched as they left for the palace.

"I suppose it would be dull, no-one would want to dance with me anyway, look at me, I'm just a servant." Sakura said as she leant against the wall in the corner of her room. To her surprise, it shifted slightly. She turned around to see a small, finger-sized, hole in one of the wood panels. She put her finger through it and pulled. To her delight and confusion, the panel came off with ease. In the gap it left was a chest, on top of it was a note. She picked up the note and read:

_'To Sakura. You're mother had hoped that you would be able to wear this to a life-changing event. I hid it before I died, after all, I could see your stepmother disliked you, and I didn't want her taking this away from you. I'm sorry that it was too late when I realized that. I trust that you found it in time. Know that your mother and I are always watching you._

_Your Father,_

_Fujitaka'_

A tear trickled down Sakura's face as she read the note. "Thank you." She opened the chest and pulled on the garments that it hid, a beautiful ball-gown, a silver necklace with a cherry blossom pendant and a pair of pumps. (I'll describe them later in the story)

She tied her hair up into a bun, ran out of the house, quickly saddled the family horse, and rode to the castle.

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"Father, Do I have to dance with anyone else?" A chocolate haired boy looked to his father with pleading amber eyes, "I'm not interested in these girls"

"As a prince, it's your duty Syaoran. You should find a wife soon." The father replied.

"But-"

"Your father is right Syaoran" He was interupted by his mother.

"Fine," Syaoran walked off. He didn't head back into the dance area, he waited at the back. He looked around and his jaw hit the floor. A girl was walking into the room via the staircase to his left. He observed every feature of her. Her emerald eyes were brought out by her glittering pale blue ball-gown. Her auburn hair was tied into a bun and tied by a cherry blossom hairband that matched her silver necklace. As she walked past, he caught her wrist.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked her. She blushed slightly but nodded. He led her to the dance floor as a waltz played.

Absorbed by each other's company, they walked and talked in the palace gardens.

"How is it I've never met you?" Syaoran asked. "I'm sure I would remember someone as lovely as you." Sakura blushed.

"I don't get out much." She said quietly. He smiled and leaned towards her, she did the same, but before their lips touched, the clock striked the first stroke of midnight. "Oh-no. I have to go." she stood up and went to leave. Syaoran caught her wrist again.

"Please stay," He said.

"I can't, I'm sorry." She pulled free of his grasp and started to run. She headed down the steps, loosing a pump on the way. She quickly mounted her horse and rode home.

Syaoran picked up the delicate silver pump. "I will find you." He said softly, "I never even got your name"

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Sakura made it home, changed back to her normal dress, hid her gown and shoe, keeping her necklace hidden, and headed downstairs to make the tea, all in the nick of time. As soon as she took the kettle off the stove, her step-family walked in.

"The nerve of that girl" Sakura heard Manami shout.

"I know," Sakura recognised the voice as Fumiko's, "Dancing with him then leaving." Sakura walked into the main room and placed the tray of tea on the table.

"Nice night?" She asked innocently, inwardly laughing like mad.

"It was great, other than **that girl**" Haruka said, flinching at 'that girl'

"What girl?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, this girl appeared about an hour after the ball started, danced with the prince for the whole time she was ther, then disappeared." Fumiko said.

"And now," Manami interupted, "Now, he's going to search the kingdom for her."

"At least you girls have another chance at his heart, he has that pump and if it fits one of you two, then your in" Haruka said. The girls smiled. "You may go Sakura" Sakura bowed and headed back to her room. He was looking for her.

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The next day, Sakura was in the garden doing chores when there was a knock at the door. Haruka rushed to answer it, and there stood Eriol, the advisor Sakura had met, and Prince Syaoran.

"Your highness" Haruka bowed as did her daughters who stood in the main room.

"I assume you have heard why we are here madam." Eriol spoke politely.

"Indeed we have," She moved away from the door. "Do come in."

"Thank you" Eriol and Syaoran said. Haruka gestured for them to sit and they did.

"Shall we proceed with the fitting?" Syaoran said.

"Indeed" Eriol replied.

"Of course, Fumiko, if you will" Haruka said, Fumiko nodded and sat down. Eriol walked to her and tried to fit the small shoe on her chubby foot, with no avail.

"I'm sorry," Eriol said. Haruka gestured for Manami to sit in Fumiko's place. Eriol did the same to Manami as he did to Fumiko, but her foot was far too long. Both Haruka and Syaoran sighed in defeat.

"Are there any other girls in the household?" Syaoran asked.

"Only the servant, but she didn't go last night," Haruka replied.

"Oh, Ok." Syaoran replied. Eriol thanked Haruka and her daughter and they left the house.

Syaoran and Eriol climbed into the carriage and the horse moved forward. As the carriage moved, Syaoran called for it to be stopped. From where they were, they could see into the garden. Syaoran's heart skipped a beat when her saw a girl with long auburn hair, emerald eyes and the cherry blossom necklace he saw last night peaking out of her dress. She was feeding the family horse from her hand and stroking his mane. He ran towards her.

"Excuse me, miss" He called. Sakura turned round and looked into the deep amber eyes she saw last night.

"Yes, your highness." She bowed lightly. He held out the pump.

"May I?" He asked, and she nodded slightly. He bent down and removed her black shoe, replacing it with the perfectly fitting silver slipper. "I found you at last" He smiled at her and whisked her to the carriage.

"WAIT!" Haruka shouted. "She can't go, she's a servant." She started running towards the couple with the intent of dragging Sakura back into the house. Suddenly a dark violet haired girl stood infront of her, flames in her amethyst eyes.

"BACK DOWN!" Tomoyo shouted. "You have no right anymore, you've tormented her life enough old lady!"

"T-TOMOYO!" Sakura called out in surprise. She smiled back.

"Long time no see, I was just passing by and heard the commotion." She looked towards the messenger, "I could say the same to you, Eriol." He smiled gently at her.

"You know each other?" Sakura and Syaoran said in unison.

"Indeed." Tomoyo said, "We met for the first time a few years ago."

"And have bumped into each other many a time since" Eriol finished her sentence, pulled her close to him and planted a quick kiss on her lips. Tomoyo giggled.

"You swept me off my feet back then aswell" She said.

"We best be going." Eriol said, and the prince, Eriol and Sakura climbed into the carriage. "I'll see you again Tomoyo." Eriol said and she nodded. The carriage moved forward and headed to the palace.

"I'm so glad to be out of there." Sakura said, Syaoran gave her a confused look so she explained about her life as a servant.

"I'm happy for you, just one thing though." Syaoran said.

"What?" Sakura replied.

"You never told me your name."

"Sakura." She smiled.

"Sakura, it's beautiful, like you" She blushed at his comment.

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About a week later, they were to be married. The ceremony went off without a hitch. Together they hurried down the steps of the palace and towards the carriage that would whisk them away to their honeymoon. Before they got into it, Sakura threw her bouquet of cherry blossoms into the crowd. Tomoyo caught them and blushed as she looked towards Eriol.

Once in the carriage, it moved forwards and Sakura leant on Syaoran.

"So, how does it feel to be a princess?" He asked her.

"Amazing, since I'm with you." He blushed at her comment and leant down to her. He was finally able to give her the kiss he moved towards on the night of the ball. Their lips met in a gentle embrace. That gentleness turned into a deep loving kiss.

"I love you" They said to each other

**~T~H~E~ ~E~N~D~**

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Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura or Cinderella

AWW how sweet. A Cardcaptor Sakura twist on Cinderella.

How unexpected when Tomoyo appeared, and even more when she knew Eriol, the advisor!

Review! It gives me motivation for more one-shots and for 'The One Who Wouldn't Give Up'

TTYL xXx


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